Where to Apply for a US Passport (2026)
Last updated: September 1, 2026
Passport acceptance facilities (DS-11)
Acceptance facilities witness your signature, check citizenship and ID documents, collect the execution fee, and mail the packet to the Department of State. They do not print the passport on the spot. Find locations with the official facility locator. Call before you go. Hours, appointment rules, and on-site photo service vary. Bring everything on the document checklist and payment for both application and execution fees.
Typical paths: first-time adult, child under 16, lost or stolen.
Passport agencies (urgent / same-day)
Passport agencies are federal offices in a handful of cities. They handle life-or-death emergencies and some urgent travel inside two weeks, with an appointment and proof of departure. They are not walk-in photo shops and they are not where you drop a routine DS-11. Read urgent processing rules and the official agency page.
Mail renewal (DS-82)
Adults who still qualify mail Form DS-82 with the old passport, a new photo, and payment to the address on the form, not to an acceptance facility. Do not drop a DS-82 in a DS-11 slot and hope. Packing rules and eligibility are on the official renew page. Cost: renewal cost.
Use a large envelope that fits the old passport without bending it. Track the shipment. Send payment to the address on the current form. Old addresses fail.
Why we do not list offices by state
A page that swaps only the state name while linking the same locator is thin content. Use the government locator for current hours, then price the application and check processing times before you book travel.
Before you leave home
Confirm appointment rules, photo service, and payment methods with the facility. Bring originals for citizenship evidence and a photocopy of your photo ID. Wrong payee on a combined check is a common reason files bounce back. See the document checklist for payment split rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can I renew my passport at the post office?
Only if you use DS-11 at an acceptance facility for a path that requires in-person service. Eligible adult renewals mail DS-82 directly to the address on the form, not through the post office counter unless that location is also an acceptance facility and you are submitting DS-11.
Do acceptance facilities print passports on the spot?
No. Clerks witness your signature, verify documents, collect fees, and forward the packet to the Department of State. Printing happens at a processing center. Timing: processing times.
When do I need a passport agency instead?
Urgent travel inside two weeks with proof of departure may require a passport agency appointment, not a routine acceptance facility visit. Read urgent rules before you assume expedited mail is fast enough.
Where do I find the nearest acceptance facility?
Use the official facility locator. Hours and appointment policies change. Call ahead. We don't publish state-by-state office lists because they go stale without local data.
Price your application before you go
See application, execution, expedite, and photo fees for your path.
Calculate your passport cost